Mail-bag catcher.



No. 7l0,866. Patented Oct. 7, I902.

H. H. HOUSER 81. S. C. GORMAN.

MML BAG CATGHER.

UNTTEn STATES PATENT EE-tcE.

HARLEY II. IIOUSER AND SAMUEL C. GORMAN, OF PEEBLES, OHIO.

MAlL-BAG CATCHEE-l.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 710,866, dated October 7, 1902.

Application filed May 17, 1902. serial No. 107,738 (No model.)

To (all whmn it many concern:

Be it known that we, HARLEY H. IIOUSER and SAMUEL O. GORMAN,citizens of the United States, residing at Peebles, in the county of Adams, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Catchers; and we do hereby declare the fol lowing to beafull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to mail-bag catchers employed upon mail -cars for catching the mail-bags that are hung upon the mail-cranes at the side of the railway-track; and it has for its object to provide asimple and efficient construction for preventing the mail bag from dropping from the catcher, a further object of the invention being to provide such a mechanism as will permit of easy removal of the bag from the catcher after the catcher has been swung from its catching position.

Other objects and advantages of the inven tion will be understood from the following description.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is an elevation of the catcher with the parts in position for catching the mail-bag. Fig. 2 is a section through the catcher, showing the mail-bag engaged therewith and the parts in position to prevent disengagement of the mail-bag.

Referring now to the drawings, the present device comprises the rock-shaft 5, from one side of which projects the handle 6 for operating the catcher or swinging it into and out of operative position, while upon the opposite end of the shaft projects a hook conr prising the hill 7, the bight 8, and the stem 9, which latter is connected directly to the shaft.

In practice the shaft 5 is mounted in trunnions in the sides of the doorway of the mailcar, so that the hook may be moved in a vertical plane into and out of position to project laterally from the side of the car. When the hook is held projecting outwardly from the side of the car, it is in position to engage a mail-bag hung from a mail-crane, the bag when engaged by the hook lying against the bight 8.

To prevent the bag from dropping from its engaged position, a retaining device is provided and consists of a plate, including the arms 10 and 11, which lie at a right angle to each other, and which plate is pivoted at its angle in a slot 12 in the hill 7 of the hook, and in this slot are the stops 13 and 14: for engagement by the arms 10 and 11, respectively, the arm 11 being adapted to lie across the hook when the arm 10 is engaged with its stop, while the arm 10 is adapted to lie across the hook when the arm 11. is engaged with its stop.

hen the mail-bag is to be caught, the plate is moved so that the arm 11 lies across the hook and at a point in front of the web 8, and when the mail-bag is engaged it strikes the arm 11 and rotates the plate to bring the arm 10 across the hook, the bag passing into contact with the web 8. To hold the plate in this position to prevent removal of the bag from the hook, a catch is provided, and consists of a spring-plate 15, which is secured to the inner face of the broadened end of the stem 9 at a point opposite to the hill 7, and as the arm 10 swings into its transverse position said arm engages and depresses the spring-plate, the plate springing back into'the cut-away portion 16 of the end of the arm after the terminal lug 17 of the arm has passed from the free end of the spring-plate. In this position of the spring-plate it is in the path of return movement of the lug 17 and prevents return movement of the arm 10. To retract the'spring-catch, so that arm 10 may be swung to its original position and the mailbag moved from the hook, at finger-lever 19 is pivoted to the handle 6 and has a wire 20 attached thereto, which is passed through the passage 21, formed through the shaft 5 and the stem 9 of the hook, and the opposite end of this wire is attached to the spring-plate. Then the finger-lever is operated, the springplate is removed from its active position. \Vith this arrangement when the spring plate or catch is inactive thebag may be withdrawn from the hook, and the arm 10 will be swung out of active position and the arm 11 into active position by engagement of the bag with the arm 10 as the bag is removed from the hook.

In practice modifications of the specific construction shown may be made, and any suitable materials and proportions may be used Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

WVhen the arm 11 is in posit-ion across the hook, the free end thereof is engaged by the spring-plate and the arm is held frictionally against movement from its active position.

What is claimed is 1. A mail-bag catcher comprising a shaft having a handle projecting from one side thereof and a hook projecting from the opposite side, an angular plate pivoted to the bill of the hook and arranged to lie with its arms interchangeably across the hook, a springplate attached to the hook opposite to the bill and adapted to be engaged and depressed by either arm of the plate, and means for retracting the spring-plate, the arm of the firstnamed plate in the direction of the outer end of the bill having a recess to receive the end of the spring-plate to prevent movement of the arms in the direction of the outer end of the bill.

2. A mail-bag catcher comprising a shaft having a handle projecting from one side thereof and a hook having a stem projecting from the opposite side of the shaft, said hook having a slotted bill provided with stops, an angular plate comprising separate arms, said plate being pivoted in the slot of the bill and adapted to lie with its arms alternately across the hook, a spring-plate attached to the stem of the hook and disposed for engagement by the arms of the angular plate, the outer arm of the plate havinga lug for engagement with the end of the springplate to hold the arm against pivotal movement in one direction, a lever pivoted to the handle and connections between the lever and spring-plate for retracting the latter, the arms of the angular plate being adapted to lie alternately against their respective stops of the bill.

In testimony whereof We afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

HARLEY I-I. HOUSER. SAMUEL O. GORMAN.

\Vitnesses:

A. B. ELY, J. D. Fnosr. 

